After Huawei, US may blacklist Chinese surveillance tech firm

Published : Thursday, 23 May, 2019 at 12:00 AM Count : 88

SHANGHAI, May 22: The US administration is considering Huawei-like sanctions on Chinese video surveillance firm Hikvision, media reports show, deepening worries that trade friction between the world's top two economies could be further inflamed.The restrictions would limit Hikvision's ability to buy US technology and American companies may have to obtain government approval to supply components to the Chinese firm, the New York Times reported nyti.ms/2MfgBS3 on Tuesday.The United States stuck Huawei Technologies on a trade blacklist last week, effectively banning US firms from doing business with the world's largest telecom network gear maker, in a major escalation in the trade war.The United States has accused Huawei of activities contrary to national security, a charge Huawei denies. However, this week the Trump administration granted the firm a license to buy US goods until Aug. 19 to minimize disruption for customers.China says opposes US trying to smear Chinese firmsHuawei says it can ensure a steady components supply chain without US help. A Hikvision executive echoed the sentiment."Even if the US stops selling them to us we can remedy this through other suppliers," a Hikvision executive said on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter."The chips Hikvision uses are very commercial and most of the suppliers are actually in China," she said, but added the company had not been informed of any possible US blacklisting.The White House did not respond to a request for comment.Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter, reported the US government was deliberating whether to add Hikvision, security equipment maker Zhejiang Dahua Technology and several other unidentified firms to a blacklist.A Dahua investment department employee declined to comment.Hikvision, with a market value of more than $37 billion, calls itself the world's largest video surveillance gear maker. -Reuters